King, Queen return from special visit to UAE

KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah returned home on Tuesday (Dec 5) after concluding a special six-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Istana Negara in a post on Instagram stated that the special aircraft carrying Their Majesties and royal entourage safely landed at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at 9.30am.

The special visit is in conjunction with the 28th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) being held from Nov 30 to Dec 12 at Expo City, Dubai.

During the visit, Al-Sultan Abdullah also graced the opening of the Malaysian Pavilion Malaysia at Expo City on Dec 1 and attended the UAE’s 52nd National Day celebration at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Dec 2.

His Majesty also bestowed Malaysia’s highest award, the Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm (DMN), and the Most Esteemed Family Order of the Crown of Sri Indera of Pahang to Sheikh Mohamed.

The two leaders also witnessed the exchange of documents on renewable energy investments in Malaysia involving companies Malaysian and UAE companies.

In another post, Istana Negara announced that the King had also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Explorer Group Sdn Bhd and Royal Jet LLC at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Present were Tengku Arif Temenggong Pahang Tengku Fahad Mu’adzam Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Shah and Advisor for Special Affairs at the UAE Presidential Court Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan.

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Explorer Group executive director Datuk Shahriman Shamsuddin, Royal Jet LLC chief executive officer Mohammed Husain Ahmed and Malaysian Ambassador to the UAE Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin also attended the event.

Explorer Group Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian company that runs aviation operations, including private flight-related activities, while Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet LLC is a luxury aviation service company that specialises in fixed-base operations, flight consultancy, aircraft management, and aircraft maintenance services.

Through the MoU, both companies will collaborate to operate private flight operations based at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport. The partnership aims to provide opportunities for Royal Jet LLC to enter the Southeast Asian private aviation market for fixed-base operations, private charter, and aircraft maintenance services.

In yet another post, Istana Negara stated that Al-Sultan Abdullah had granted an audience to UAE astronaut Sultan Saif AlNeyadi at the Emirates Palace Hotel on Monday.

Sultan Saif AlNeyadi made history as the first Arab astronaut and UAE citizen to serve at the International Space Station (ISS) for six months, participating in Expedition 69 from March 2 to Sept 4.

He also made history as the first Arab astronaut and UAE citizen to do a space walk.- Bernama